1894–1911
The young man of letters and city-dweller

«I thought I found myself at the beginning of an uphill road. I didn't know that all my previous experiences had only been fortuitous events, and that my life still needed its own foundation. I still didn't know I was suffering for a longing to which neither love nor glory are a limit and fulfilment.»

1894–1895

Hesse works as apprentice at Perrot church clock factory in Calw for 15 months.

1895–1898

Hesse finishes his bookshop apprenticeship in Tübingen at Heckenhauer bookshop and continues studying literature and philosophy as self-taught man.

1898–1899

Hesse works as bookseller at Heckenhauer bookshop.
The publication of his first collection of poems Romantische Lieder [Romantic songs] appears in October 1898 and his prose passage Eine Stunde hinter Mitternacht [One Hour after Midnight] appears in June 1899.

1899–1901

Works as an assistant at Reich bookshop in Basel.

1901

In Spring Hesse takes his first journey to Northern Italy for 7 weeks.
Hinterlassene Schriften und Gedichte von Hermann Lauscher [Posthumous Works and Poems by Hermann Lauscher] appears in Autumn.

1901–1903

Hesse works at Wattenwyl antique bookshop in Basel. This will be his last regular job as an employee.

1902

Death of his mother. Hesse dedicates to her the collection Gedichte [Poems].

1903

April, second journey to Italy all the way to Tuscany; he travels with Maria Bernoulli from Basle, the first Swiss professional woman photographer, to whom he will get engaged that same year.

1904

Peter Camenzind is published and its big success allows him to marry Maria Bernoulli. They move to Gaienhofen, on the German side of lake Constance. Hesse is now a freelance author and writer for numerous papers. Franz von Assisi is issued.

1905

Birth of his first son Bruno.

1906

Unterm Rad [Beneath the Wheel] is published. Third trip to Northern Italy together with the painter Fritz Widmann. Hesse is co-publisher of the liberal magazine März, critical of the German Empire.

1907

Hesse moves into a new house in Gaienhofen with his family.

1909

Birth of his second son Heiner.

1910

The novel Gertrud is published.

1911

Birth of his third son Martin.
Trip to Umbria and Tuscany, Italy with Othmar Schoeck and Fritz Brun.

September– December

Journey to Ceylon and Indonesia with the painter Hans Sturzenegger.